Shawn Michaels
Michael Hickenbottom known better by his ring name "Shawn Michaels" is a multi time heavyweight champion. In the summer, Michaels joined forces with real-life friend, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Hunter's then-girlfriend, Chyna, and Rick Rude to form the stable, a group of wrestlers, D-Generation X (DX).53 Moving away from the family-oriented product, this marked the beginning of the WWF Attitude Era.54 Michaels continued his rivalry with Bret Hart and his reformed Hart Foundation, which was now a pro-Canada stable. Michaels taunted the group and Canada by engaging in acts, such as blowing his nose with and humping the Canadian Flag. Michaels later claimed the flag desecration was Bret's idea.55 Michaels' feud with the Hart Foundation culminated in a championship match at Survivor Series in 1997 against Bret Hart. Michaels came out of this match, dubbed by fans the "Montreal Screwjob", as the WWF Champion.56 Michaels now held both the WWF and European championship at the same time. Michaels, however, lost the European championship to group member, Hunter Hurst Hemsley, who often was referred to as Triple H (HHH), when he pinned him during a farcical match, making Triple H the European Champion.57 At the 1998 Royal Rumble, Michaels received a legitimate back injury in a Casket match against The Undertaker, a match where the objective is to place the opponent inside a casket.6 Michaels took a back body drop to the outside of the ring and smashed his lower back on the casket, causing him to herniate two discs and crush one completely.658 This forced Michaels into retirement after losing the WWF Championship to Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV.59 Michaels returned to the WWF on November 23, 1998, but not as a wrestler; instead, he replaced Sgt. Slaughter as the WWF Commissioner, a portrayed match maker and rules enforcer, joining Vince McMahon's group of wrestlers called the Corporation as a villain.60 Throughout late 1998 and early 1999, Michaels made regular television appearances on Raw, in which he scheduled matches, throwing around his authority, and sometimes even deciding the outcome of matches.616263 In early 1999, Michaels re-joined DX as a crowd favorite, but disappeared from WWF television for a few months to have back surgery,64 and by the time he had returned, DX had broken up. Wrestling Debut: October 16, 1984 Born: July 22, 1965 in Chandler, Arizona Resides: San Antonio, Texas Accomplishments American Wrestling Association... AWA World Tag Team Champion (2 Times) NWA Central States Wrestling... NWA Central States World Tag Team Champion... Continental Wrestling Association... AWA Southern Tag team Champion (2 Times) Pro Wrestling Illustrated... Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho PWI Match of the Year (1993)163 vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw on May 17 PWI Match of the Year (1994)164 vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X PWI Match of the Year (1995)6 vs. Diesel at WrestleMania XI PWI Match of the Year (1996)6 vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII PWI Match of the Year (2004)163 vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H at WrestleMania XX PWI Match of the Year (2005)163 vs. Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 21 PWI Match of the Year (2006)163 vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 22 PWI Match of the Year (2007)163 vs. John Cena on Raw on April 23 PWI Match of the Year (2008)163 vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1995, 1996)164 PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1996165 PWI ranked him #10 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003166 PWI ranked him #33 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Marty Jannetty in 2003167 Texas All-Star Wrestling... TASW Tag Team Champion (2 Times) Texas Wrestling Alliance... TWA Heavyweight Champion (1 Time) World Wrestling Entertainment... WWE Champion (3 Times) WWE European Champion (1 Time) WWE Intercontinental Champion (3 Times) WWE World Tag team Champion (4 Times) WWE World Heavyweight Champion (1 Time) 1995 & 1996 Royal Rumble Winner Wrestling Observer Newsletter... Best Babyface (1996) Feud of the Year (2004) vs. Triple H and Chris Benoit Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho Match of the Year (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X Match of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho in a Ladder match at No Mercy Most Charismatic (1995, 1996) Tag Team of the Year (1989) with Marty Jannetty as The Rockers Worst Feud of the Year (2006) with Triple H vs. Shane and Vince McMahon Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2003)